[Name] [Department and/or Address] Participant Packet Letter Now that you have participants enrolled in the program it is vital you clearly communicate expectations for the program. This letter should introduce the participant packet and emphasize the benefits of participation. We recommend you include the tracking forms and the FAQ sheet in this correspondence as well. If you have a logo specific to your wellness program, use it on this letter. If not, put this letter on company letterhead. Find this letter in Word format on your resource disk. Congratualtions on taking the challenge to make your play and live healthy today with the Nutrition. Fitness. Lifestyle. wellness incentive campaign! Eating whole grains, being physically active and practicing good sleep hygiene are the plays you ll need to execute to score the winning touchdown in this 8-week challenge. Your Playbook All of the materials you need to begin the challenge are included in your Playbook. Take a few moments to review the materials before kick-off time. The Nutrition. Fitness. Lifestyle. challenge begins on [start date]. The challenge is divided into four quarters with each quarter lasting two weeks. You earn yards by practicing sound nutrition, fitness and lifestyle habits, with 100 yards earning you a touchdown! First Quarter Play-By-Play Gain yards during the first quarter by eating whole grain foods. Record your progress on the Scoreboard located in your Playbook. You earn two yards each day you consume three servings of whole grain foods. Not sure what whole grains are or where to find them? Refer to your Playbook to learn more about which foods contain whole grains and how much you need to eat. Your Playbook contains all of the play-by-play detail you need to successfully complete each quarter. Pep Talk Here s what you ll need to do to earn yards in the remaining quarters: 2nd quarter: Earn two yards for each day you accumulate 30-minutes of moderate-intensity exercise. 3rd quarter: Earn two yards each day you receive at least 7 hours of sleep. 4th quarter: Pick one of the three Nutrition. Fitness. Lifestyle. health habits and repeat your effort to gain three yards per day and move the ball toward the goal posts! Scoring a touchdown couldn t be healthier with the Nutrition. Fitness. Lifestyle. challenge! Once you have scored a touchdown and completed the challenge, please return your completed log sheet to [name/department] by [date] to be eligible to receive a [incentive prize]. Half-time Show Much of the fun of a football game is all of the extras that are part of the event. You know, the marching band, the cheer squad, the concession stand and the mascots. That is why we ve worked up a few extras to keep you motivated to keep driving the ball down the field, including: [Insert lunch and learn session info] [Insert Twist activity info] Catch the spirit of health with the Nutrition. Fitness. Lifestyle. challenge! Good Luck! Healthy Regards, [Contact Name] [Contact Department] [Contact Phone] [Contact e-mail address]
Scoreboard How to Keep Score Each time you complete a play you gain yardage. For example, each day you eat three servings of whole grains during weeks 1 and 2, you will cross out one of the 2yd boxes on the Scoreboard below. At the end of the week, add up your total yardage and record it in the Week Total column at the far right. Remember, during Weeks 7 and 8, you will get three yards ( 3yd ) for each play you complete. At the end of 8 weeks, add all of your Week Total amounts and record them in the Total Yards box. Your goal is to gain 100 yards during the campaign. When you reach 100 yards, be sure to mark the box at the bottom of the Scoreboard and celebrate your touchdown! What do I do with my Scoreboard at the end of the campaign? You will return your scoreboard at the end of the campaign. Remember to include your name below! Week : Play Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun Week Total Week 1:Nutrition 2yd 2yd 2yd 2yd 2yd 2yd 2yd Week 2:Nutrition 2yd 2yd 2yd 2yd 2yd 2yd 2yd Week 3:Fitness 2yd 2yd 2yd 2yd 2yd 2yd 2yd Week 4:Fitness 2yd 2yd 2yd 2yd 2yd 2yd 2yd Week 5:Lifestyle 2yd 2yd 2yd 2yd 2yd 2yd 2yd Week 6:Lifestyle 2yd 2yd 2yd 2yd 2yd 2yd 2yd Week 7:Choice 3yd 3yd 3yd 3yd 3yd 3yd 3yd Week 8:Choice 3yd 3yd 3yd 3yd 3yd 3yd 3yd YES! I scored a touchdown by gaining more than 100 yards! Total Yards Return Form To: Your Name: Email: 5 0 40
1st Quarter Nutrition Consume 3 servings of whole-grain foods daily Whole grains are key to healthy nutrition habits. Whole grains are a great source of fiber and many other important nutrients including zinc, magnesium, and vitamin B6. Additionally they contain less sugar and salt than refined grains such as processed rice, plain bagels and sweetened cereals. How do I earn yards? Earn two yards for each day you consume three ounce-equivalents or servings of whole-grain foods. Each of these foods equals a serving or an ounce-equivalent of a whole-grain food: ½ mini whole wheat bagel 1 whole wheat or buckwheat pancake 1 slice whole wheat bread 3 cups popped popcorn 5 whole wheat crackers 1 packet instant oatmeal ½ whole wheat English muffin ½ cup cooked oatmeal ½ cup cooked brown or wild rice 1 cup whole wheat flakes or toasted oat cereal ½ cup cooked whole wheat pasta 1 small whole wheat or whole corn tortilla What s the difference between whole grain and refined grain products? There is a big difference. And to understand we must consider the structure of a kernel of grain. A whole kernel contains a protective coating of bran, rich in nutrients and fiber. The endosperm is inside the kernel and contains starch and proteins. The germ is the seed inside the kernel and is especially rich in vitamins and minerals. Whole grain products contain the entire kernel including the bran, endosperm, and germ. Refined grain products like white bread and white rice contain only the endosperm. Refined grain products leave out the bran and germ. Without the bran and germ, refined grain products contain less fiber and fewer nutrients than whole grain foods. Continued on Next Page 5 0 40
1st Quarter Nutrition How much whole grain do I need? The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that adults consume a minimum of 3 servings or ounce-equivalents of whole-grain foods each day. In general, 1 slice of bread, 1 cup of ready-to-eat cereal, or ½ cup of cooked rice, cooked pasta or cooked cereal can be considered an ounce-equivalent from the grains group. What foods contain whole grains? Whole grains cannot be identified by the color of the food. Food manufacturers often add molasses to refined grain foods to make them appear as if they contain whole grains. Label reading is the key to discovering which foods contain whole grains and which do not. Read the ingredient list on the food label. For many whole grain products, the words whole or whole grain will appear before the grain ingredient s name. The whole grain should be the first ingredient listed. Beware if whole grain is listed anywhere but first on the ingredient list. The food may contain whole grain but the amount is likely so small that it does not count as a whole grain product if it s not listed first. Examples of whole grains include: Whole wheat Buckwheat Brown rice Whole oats/oatmeal Wild rice Popcorn Whole rye Whole-grain corn Whole-grain barley Don t forget the fluids! Increase your intake of whole grain foods without increasing your fluid intake and you could experience mild gastric distress. Be sure to increase your intake of water as you gradually elevate your whole grain intake. 5 0 40
2nd Quarter Fitness Participate in 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise most days Physical activity is good for everyone! Regular physical activity may help reduce your risk for many diseases including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, colon and breast cancers and osteoporosis. It also helps to control weight; contributes to healthy bones, muscles, and joints; and reduces falls. How do I earn yards in the second quarter? Earn two yards each day for completing 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise. Thirty minutes of continuous activity are not required; you may opt to complete three 10 minute sessions or two 15 minute sessions of exercise to earn your yardage. What is moderate-intensity exercise? When you engage in moderate-intensity aerobic exercise you will feel your heart rate and body temperature elevate slightly. However, you should still be able to talk comfortably with others. Examples of moderate intensity activity include: Dancing Riding a stationary bicycle Playing golf and walking the course Shooting hoops Participating in water aerobics Brisk walking Mowing lawn with a push mower Playing disc golf Raking leaves Playing soccer How much exercise do I need? Good news: Exercise does not need to be strenuous for you to reap the many benefits it provides. Participating in moderate-intensity aerobic exercise is good for your heart, lungs and musculoskeletal system. Current recommendations suggest that adults should engage in a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity most days of the week. If vigorous-intensity activities like jogging, rollerblading or swimming are more to your liking then it is recommended that adults accumulate a minimum of 20 minutes of vigorous intensity activity at least 3 days per week. 5 0 40
3rd Quarter Lifestyle Accumulate at least 7 hours of sleep daily Adequate sleep is important to personal health, as well as the safety of you and others. Lack of sleep is associated with several chronic diseases and conditions including cardiovascular disease, obesity, depression and diabetes. Good sleep hygiene is now recognized as an important health habit to prevent chronic disease and promote good health and well being. Additionally, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that 100,000 police-reported crashes are the direct result of drowsy driving each year. This results in an estimated 1,550 deaths, 71,000 injuries, and $12.5 billion in monetary losses. How do I earn yards in the third quarter? Earn two yards per day when you accumulate at least 7 hours of sleep. Total sleep time may include naps as well as your extended nighttime sleep session. How much sleep do I need? Sleep needs vary by individual and change as people age. Adults typically require 7-9 hours of sleep per day. Some may require slightly more and some slightly less. What can I do to get enough sleep? Good sleep hygiene can promote quality sleep. Try these sleep hygiene tips to promote good, restful sleep: Go to bed at the same time each evening and rise at the same time each morning. Create a quiet, dark and relaxing environment in which to sleep. Keep your sleep environment a moderate temperature, not too warm and not too cool. Avoid large meals or snacks prior to sleep time. Schedule physical activity earlier in the day to avoid exercising within a few hours of bedtime. Make your bed comfortable and use it only for sleeping and sex. Remove televisions, computers, cell phones, handheld electronics and other gadgets from the sleeping environment. 5 0 40
4th Quarter Your Choice Choose nutrition, fitness or lifestyle My choice is: During the previous six weeks you have tracked your success and should have a good idea of which area needs a little extra emphasis. How do I earn yards in the fourth quarter? Earn three yards each day you complete your goal activity. Why do I need to track my activities? If you don t know where you started, how will you know what goals to set for yourself? How will you know when you meet these goals? The first step to setting realistic goals is to know your current health habits. Since many of us are not realistic about how much physical activity we are getting, or how many hours we sleep, recording what we re doing is an easy way to find out. Once you identify your current habits, you will have a much easier time developing a plan to improve them, if necessary. A tracking form allows you to self-monitor progress. If you are doing well your tracking record will reflect that and give you the motivation to continue what you are doing. If you are not doing so well it may inspire you to reevaluate how you can get back on track. One of the greatest inspirations to continue a healthy behavior is the sense of accomplishment. For example, when you look at your tracking form and you see in black and white how many minutes you have participated in physical activity over the past week or month or how many whole grains you ve eaten, you realize how far you have come and begin to realize the benefits you are receiving. Your tracking record will also serve as a reminder of your goals and the need to practice healthy habits everyday. Keep it in a conspicuous place so you will see it every day. Try your office, refrigerator or bathroom mirror. Hopefully, the frequent reminder will help you maintain your healthy behaviors. And, last but not least, the tracking form will show you just how far you have come and how close you are to your goal. Use it to reward yourself once you meet your goal! 5 0 40